SALENA ZITO: WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH VIRGINIA?

Clare Perry considers herself a Democrat. Grayson Pearce is a Republican. She’s from Richmond, and he’s from Virginia Beach. Despite holding opposing political values, they both have the same question: What is the matter with Virginia?

In particular, what’s wrong with its politics?

A few months ago, in a cascade of disgraces both Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring admitted to wearing blackface, then Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax was accused of sexual assault by two women.

Now the story has seemingly disappeared from the front pages, or any pages, of the local news outlets.

For both Perry, 20, and Pearce, 19, the fact that all three controversies were left drifting in the wind is mind-boggling.

“Honestly, I’m stunned, and I’m stunned it went away so quickly,” Perry explains. She’s more bothered that Fairfax has skated.

For Pearce, there’s a personal angle: He worked on the campaign of Northam’s opponent, Ed Gillespie. But it also stings, in part, because it reflects poorly on the state he loves: “It is heartbreaking. It sucks. There’s nothing about it that’s good. Especially not for Virginia.”

Both readily agree, if Gillespie had faced the same accusations any of the three men in power did months ago, he would be long gone.

Well: